Steve Earle’s Backing Band, The Mastersons, Tap Shooter Jennings For Producer On “No Time for Love Songs” (Album Review)

Talented singer-songwriters and multi-instrumentalists, The Mastersons, tap Shooter Jennings to produce their fourth album, No Time for Love Songs. The Mastersons, Chris Masterson and Eleanor Whitmore, are one of roots music’s revered couples, as the driving force in Steve Earle’s long-time band, The Dukes, who tour quite often. Additionally, Chris and Eleanor appear as guests on many records, including the recent Grammy-winning effort from Tanya Tucker, While I’m Livin’, which was co-produced by Jennings and Brandy Carlile. It was there that Chris and Eleanor asked Jennings to produce this album.

Originally based in New York, The Mastersons now reside in southern California, enabling them to tap into a wide array of musical talent and perhaps shift their sound somewhat toward a laid back California feel. They invite Eleanor’s sister Bonnie Whitmore, a songwriter and artist, who sings and plays bass. Tyler Chester (Andrew Bird, Sara Watkins, Madison Cunningham) is on keys/bass and drummer Mark Stepro (Butch Walker, Ben Kweller, Jakob Dylan) joins with Shooter Jennings on piano and Aaron Lee Tasjan on background vocals for two tracks. Chris plays a variety of guitars while Eleanor plays multiple strings instruments including the violin and mandolin.

Given the schedules of all involved, the album was completed quickly, helped by the fact that many of these songs have been written over the course of the past three years. Eleanor says, “After the 2016 election, we felt a profound sense of loss, not only for our loved ones but for our country. We felt a shift away from decency and kindness, towards ugliness. We’ve traded truth, reason, justice, journalism, facts and revering the Constitution for utter chaos.” So, the album is about empathy and kindness, embodied in gorgeous harmonies, lilting melodies, stellar musicianship – all aimed at optimism in the face of our current divisive state. 

The album also celebrates the tenth anniversary of their marriage with the celebratory aura tempered by the loss of key family members and dear friends including Chris’ father, fellow friend and fellow musician Chris Porter, Austin musician and producer George Reiff who played extensively with them and produced their last album. They also recently lost fellow Dukes bassist Kelly Looney. Remarkably, they’ve turned their heavy hearts toward a serious album that ultimately reflects a go forward, optimistic stance. Here are some lyrics from the title track that depict their viewpoint – “The world doesn’t need/Another broken-hearted outlaw/Belting out another whisky drinkin’ song…….Maybe I care too much/And this world is hard enough/Try and find a better way for you and me.”

More experiential fare is found in “Spellbound,” “Circle the Sun,” “Eyes Wide Open,” “The Silver Line,” and “There Is a Song to Sing.” The latter seems to borrow at least in terms of lyrics a bit from “Where Have All the Flowers Gone” as Chris takes the lead vocal before Eleanor joins in sublime harmony for lines like these – “There’s a choice to make/We can bend or break/But we better find forgiveness ..Chorus – Oh, When will we ever understand?” Eleanor’s violin solo is touchingly beautiful here as are her multi-tracked strings on the closer, “Pride of the Wicked.”

No Time for Love Songs is an album that channels a range of adult emotions from grief, anger, disbelief, and a deep respect for those lost into charming, evocative, gorgeous songcraft that serves for both an excellent listen and outlook.

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